Use of ozonated deionized water in semiconductor manufacturing can provide relatively simple, safe processing steps, such as wafer surface cleaning, passivation, native oxide removal, and removal of photoresist.
Ozonated deionized water generators generally produced ozonated water through use of contactors that permit diffusion of ozone from a gas into deionized water. Membrane contactors use an ozone permeable membrane to provide physical separation between liquid and gas, while packed column contactors provide intimate mixing of liquid and gas, under pressure to enable higher ozone concentrations.
A semiconductor fabrication facility often has multiple tools that require ozonated water. Different tools can require different ozone concentrations and flow rates. The purchase, operation and maintenance of multiple ozonated water generators can increase manufacturing costs and line shut-downs.
It would be beneficial to have a less expensive, more reliable, more flexible and more rapidly responsive ozonated water source.